49ers End Drought in Cleveland with Win over Browns

Week 13 - Hitting the road for one final game before entering the Bye week, the (8-4) San Francisco 49ers would head into the dog pound to face the (3-8) Browns in Cleveland where the Niners have been unable to escape with a win since 1984, having lost in each of their last four tries. With a win on Sunday, the 49ers would be guaranteed to clinch their fifth winning season under head coach Kyle Shanahan. But with poor weather conditions expected in the forecast, defensive stalwart Myles Garrett and a stout Browns defense wouldn't be the only thing 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and company would have to worry about out onto the field. However, the snowy and rainy conditions that effected much of the area in the days leading up to gameday would clear for the most part in time for kickoff with the exception of the cold wind. Regardless, coach Shanahan would take no chances with mother nature as he won the coin-toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff to start Sunday's game, a rare occurrence for San Francisco. 

Looking to shake off a rough performance in his last outing when he threw three first half interceptions in an ugly win at home over the Carolina Panthers, Purdy would complete a 23-yard pass on the game's first play from scrimmage before the 49er offense struggled to gain more than a yard over their next three plays and were forced to punt. Cleveland quarterback Shedeur Sanders who became the first Browns QB to win his first career start since 1995 a week earlier, saw a similar fate on his team's opening-drive by converting a quick first down before things went awry and ended with the punting unit. And on that punt, return man Skyy Moore would come up with another huge play on special-teams by logging a 66-yard return, the longest punt return of his career to set things up for the 49er offense inside the red zone. Dialing up a heavy dose of plays for running back Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco would strike first with a 1-yard touchdown on third and goal. The Browns offense would begin to march on their ensuing possession by making it to the San Francisco 20 yard-line, but that's as far as they'd go as a 4th and 1 attempt was stuffed by the 49er defense to force a turnover on downs. 

With a series of punts from both sides, the Browns would get on the scoreboard before the end of the half after relying heavily on their rushing attack from rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. Following nine consecutive run plays to begin the drive, Sanders connected thru the air with his tight-end and fellow rookie Harold Fannin for a 34-yard touchdown. After a 49ers penalty for too many men on the field during the extra-point attempt, the Browns would try their luck at the two-point conversion and succeeded with a 1-yard rush from Judkins to give Cleveland a 8-7 advantage with 39-seconds remaining before halftime. 39-seconds would be all the San Francisco offense would need, however, as Purdy and company moved the ball 58-yards on three plays with passes to receivers Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and George Kittle, respectively. The last of which a 33-yard reception that setup kicker Matt Gay for a 25-yard field goal that clanked the left upright before making it thru as San Francisco jumped back ahead, 10-8 at the half. 

After punts from both teams to open the second half, the 49ers pounced on the first of two Cleveland fumbles on the day when a fumbled snap on 4th and 1 allowed for a short field for the San Francisco offense. With little success from McCaffrey from inside the Cleveland 5 yard-line, Purdy executed a perfect read-option and ran it in for the touchdown on third and goal for his first rushing touchdown of the season. With nothing to show for on their next possession, the 49ers would punt before coming up with another big play on special-teams by pouncing on and recovering a muffed fair-catch attempt that resulted in a fumble. Turning another turnover into points, the 49ers cashed in on a third and goal with a strike into the end zone from Purdy to Jauan Jennings to take a 23-8 lead. Sandwiched between a pair of turnover on downs forced by San Francisco's defense, Matt Gay would add his second field goal of the afternoon to give the Niners a commanding 26-8 lead that they would hang onto for the win. Shanahan and Purdy became the first 49ers head coach-QB duo to pull off a win in Cleveland since a pair of Hall of Famers -- Bill Walsh and Joe Montana did it in 1984 with a 41-7 drubbing of the Browns. 

On a day that was far from great for the offense, the 49ers won on Sunday by playing the field position game and took advantage of the opportunities they were given with short fields to work with. They also received big time contributions from their defense and special-teams units. Tallying three sacks on the afternoon, all from newcomers Clelin Ferrell (2) and Keion White (1), Robert Saleh's defense has turned in impressive performances in back-to-back games, allowing a combined 17-points over their last two games. Brock Purdy threw for 168 yards and a touchdown in the win, besting Cleveland's Shedeur Sanders who threw for 149 yards a touchdown in the loss. Running back Christian McCaffrey had another busy day at the office on Sunday but produced minimal results, totaling 20 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown, as well as 4 receptions for 21 yards. With 849 rushing yards and 806 receiving yards on the season, McCaffrey joins Marshall Faulk as the only players in NFL history with at least 800-800 in three seasons. His counterpart Quinshon Judkins was one of the lone bright spots for a lackluster Browns team, rushing for 91 yards on 23 carries while adding another 18 yards on three receptions to put him over 100 total yards on the day. Niners tight-end George Kittle led all receivers with a game-high 67 receiving yards on 4 receptions. 

Week 15 Preview: With San Francisco improving to 9-4 on the season following their win over Cleveland, coach Shanahan and the 49ers will head home for their Week 14 Bye before returning to Levi's Stadium in Week 15 where they will host the (1-11) Tennessee Titans and the No. 1 overall pick in last April's Draft QB Cam Ward. With their lone win of the season coming on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, 22-21 in Week 5, the Titans are in the driver's seat to draft first overall for the second consecutive season. Having fired their head coach Brian Callahan only six weeks into the season after a 1-5 start in back-to-back years, the team is currently led by interim coach Mike McCoy. 

It's not often a team wins during their Bye week, but the 49ers were guaranteed to do just that as San Francisco moved into the No. 6 seed in the NFC Playoff picture following the Chicago Bears' loss to the Green Bay Packers. Following the Bye week, coach Shanahan has to be feeling good as his team's playoff chances have increased to 90% following the results of other games around the league in Week 14. The Bye will also help refuel a banged up 49ers team during a pivotal time with the playoffs on the horizon. 

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McCaffrey, Brown Lead Way for 49ers' Sloppy Win over Panthers

Week 12 - Playing at home in front of the Levi's Stadium faithful for a brief 1-game stay before hitting the road again, the (7-4) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the upstart (6-5) Carolina Panthers under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. With two quarterbacks coming off big games the previous week for their respective teams, Monday night's game would be the complete opposite of that as San Francisco's Brock Purdy and Carolina's Bryce Young struggled mightily and threw for a combined five interceptions on the night. A week removed from logging a mistake-free ballgame against his hometown Arizona Cardinals in which Purdy threw for an even 200 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first game back after missing six weeks, he would have his worst outing of the season by throwing three interceptions, all in the first half and on three straight possessions which led to some unhappy fans that let their feelings be heard in the form of boo's. Luckily, Purdy wasn't the only signal-caller on the night that struggled to get much of anything going thru the air. Young who had a career game a week earlier by throwing for a Panthers franchise record 448 yards passing to go with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions, had plenty of opportunities to put his team in a position to win or at the very least put up more points with some help from his defense. 

It wasn't all bad QB play, however, as things actually got off to a great for the 49er offense that began the game in possession of the ball and embarked on their longest opening-drive of the season. Controlling the ball for 8-minutes and 43-seconds and running 15-plays, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a career-high nine touches on the opening-drive for running back and former first round pick of the Panthers Christian McCaffrey. Facing his former team for the first time since being traded to San Francisco in 2022, it would be a busy night for McCaffrey who helped the 49ers march their way into the red zone where Purdy found receiver Jauan Jennings who broke a pair of tackles before making it into the end zone for the early score. Looking equally as impressive on defense, the 49ers forced a three-and-out punt on Carolina's first possession. Unfortunately, they would give the ball away just one play later on Purdy's first of three interceptions. Taking over with prime field position, the Panthers made it to the 1-yard line where they would setup shop on first and goal. Electing to pass, Young was picked off in the end zone by 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown who read the play perfectly on his way to having a career night. 

Putting together what appeared to be another promising drive, Purdy and the offense marched to the Carolina 28-yard line before he launched a deep ball into the end zone for Ricky Pearsall that was intercepted for a touchback. The 49er defense would hold the Panthers to another three and out but they would not be so lucky a third time around when Purdy became the first quarterback this season to throw three interceptions in the first half of a game. Again, on a pass intended for Pearsall, Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn jumped in front of the receiver for his second interception of the night. The third time would be a charm for the Panthers who finally turned a turnover into points as kicker Ryan Fitzgerald got Carolina on the board with a field goal. Brock Purdy would shake off the rust with a much cleaner performance the rest of the way by avoiding any more turnovers, although he escaped throwing another interception or two as he and his receivers continued to miscommunicate on several plays through either poor timing or incorrect routes throughout the night. 

Kicker Matt Gay who was signed on Thursday after being cut by the Washington Commanders last Monday, made an impressive first impression with the 49ers by going 2-for-2 in field goals, including one before the half to give San Francisco a 10-3 halftime lead. Opening the second half with another stellar drive, McCaffrey capped things off with a 12-yard receiving touchdown to make it a 17-3 ballgame. Facing a 14-point hole in the final moments in the third quarter, the Panthers put together their most successful drive of the night, scoring on a 29-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan. But an unsuccessful two-point conversion would keep it an 8-point game. After answering with their second field goal of the night, the 49ers would increase to 11. Looking to inch closer midway thru the fourth quarter, Bryce Young would be intercepted for a second time, again by San Francisco's Ji'Ayir Brown who would play his way to NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. 

In a last-ditch effort to pull off the comeback, the Panthers would miss on a 57-yard field goal attempt from Fitzgerald which allowed the Niners to run the clock and secure the 20-9 victory and their 54th win on Monday Night Football in franchise history, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most all-time. Had the Panthers won on Monday, they would've moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC South. Instead, they drop to 6-6 and fall into second place behind the (6-5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Meanwhile, the 49ers keep pace in the crowded and mighty NFC Western Division by improving to 8-4 on the year. Leading the way for the 49ers once more would be Christian McCaffrey who logged his 38th career game with 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, 2nd most all-time behind only Marshall Faulk's 41, after finishing with 89 and 53, respectively. CMC also became the third running back in NFL history to have 50+ receiving yards in at least 50 career games, joining Larry Centers (55) and Faulk (50). Tight-end George Kittle would lead all receivers with 6 receptions for 78 of Brock Purdy's 193 yards. 

What got almost as much attention as the win itself was what happened after the game ended when a scuffle broke out between Jauan Jennings and Panthers safety Tre'von Moehrig. The two had to be separated when both teams met near midfield to exchange pleasantries as Jennings was seen throwing a punch at Moehrig after the game following a low blow Jennings took from Moehrig earlier in the game. Jennings would be commended by coach Shanahan for waiting until after the game to express his frustration opposed to during the game and costing his team a penalty or possible ejection. Moehrig attempted to defend his actions in a postgame interview by explaining Jennings was talking trash, but he would ultimately be fined and suspended one game by the commissioner's office for his actions. 

Week 13 Preview: Hitting the road to take on the (3-8) Cleveland Browns, the (8-4) 49ers are coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since starting the season 3-0. They'll try to make it three straight wins when they face off against rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders who is coming off his first career win on the road over the Las Vegas Raiders in his first career start. Seeking their first win in Cleveland since 1984, the 49ers will try to make Sanders' first start in front of the home crowd a rough homecoming. With San Francisco currently holding a Wild Card position as the No. 7 seed in the NFC standings, their playoff aspirations can increase drastically with another win on Sunday. With arguably the best defensive player in the league in Myles Garrett looking to make things miserable for Brock Purdy, the 49ers will need to be much sharper on offense if they plan to end their drought in "The Land." With weather conditions expected to be poor come kickoff time with wind and rain in the forecast, we may be in store for another heavy dose of run plays from running backs Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson. 

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49ers Fall to Browns on Missed Field Goal

Week 6 - A week after facing the NFL's top-scoring defense and hanging 42-points on them in route to a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, the (5-0) San Francisco 49ers took to the road to face the (2-2) Cleveland Browns who own the league's No. 1 defense in terms of yardage. What was expected to be an all out brawl between two of football's best defenses, started with a bit of fisticuffs even before kickoff as players from both teams nearly came to blows and needed to be separated at midfield. But by the time the game had started, it would be the officiating crew that both teams would've preferred getting their hands on as the two teams combined for 25 penalties and over 200 penalty yards, the most in the NFL this season in both categories. While the refs made a number of bad calls for both teams all afternoon long, none would be worse or come at a more pivotal time than a phantom "unnecessary roughness" call that happened late in the fourth quarter, helping fuel an upset victory for the home team. 

For whatever reason, the San Francisco 49ers have had a rough time when playing on the road in Cleveland, somewhere they haven't won since 1984. Albeit they rarely play there, the Niners entered Sunday's game 0-3 in their last three visits to Cleveland. And while those struggles would continue again on Sunday, not before the Niners got off to a blazing start on offense, needing only 6-plays to capitalize on the game's opening-drive with a touchdown from one of San Francisco's usual suspects. Benefitting from two big penalties by the Cleveland defense who clearly had it in mind to rough up Niners running back Christian McCaffrey with an unnecessary roughness call for a late hit out of bounds and a face mask call two plays apart, McCaffrey made them pay by taking a Brock Purdy shovel pass 13-yards to the end zone. It would be McCaffrey's 15th straight game with a touchdown (including postseason), tying him for the second-longest streak in league history. But as good as the Niners looked on offense on their opening-drive, they would struggle to produce another drive like it the rest of the way. 

With Browns first-string quarterback Deshaun Watson scratched for a second consecutive game due to a shoulder injury, Cleveland would call on PJ Walker, making him their third starting QB in their last three games. Making things difficult for Walker on his first drive would be the Niner defense who got off to an impressive start of their own as linebacker Fred Warner made a nice play to jump the route and come up with an interception he nearly took to the house. Unfortunately, Brock Purdy and the offense would go backwards as they lost yards on back to back plays and were forced to settle for a field goal try that rookie kicker Jake Moody missed on from 54-yards out. Moody's miss would spark what would ultimately be a bizarre day for both team's kickers as Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yarder on Cleveland's ensuing possession. Moody would redeem himself two possessions later by knocking down a 25-yard attempt to give the Niners a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, but the Browns would bite into that lead to make it a one-score game before the half. Receiver Amari Cooper would be quite the security blanket for Browns quarterback PJ Walker who caught only four passes on the day, but tallied 108 yards receiving, including 58 on a reception that helped setup Cleveland's lone touchdown of the afternoon: a 16-yard scamper from running back Kareem Hunt. 

The Niners who had managed to stay healthy for the most part and avoid the injury bug thru the first 5 weeks of the season, would not be able to say the same on Sunday as a number of key players would be lost on offense, including a trio of Pro Bowlers in receiver Deebo Samuel, running back Christian McCaffrey and left-tackle Trent Williams. Though Williams (ankle) would eventually reenter the game, Samuel (shoulder) would not see the field after the opening-drive and McCaffrey (oblique) would be ruled out in the second half. Missing two of their best weapons, the holes created by their absence were very visible down the stretch as Purdy and the San Francisco offense struggled for the first time this season. While the emergence of Purdy has been a saving grace for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, last year's Mr. Irrelevant finally had the type of game that we all knew was bound to take place, only it would take him 12 regular season games to have it. The 49ers QB was off the mark virtually all afternoon long for the first time in his career, missing on passes we've grown accustomed to him making and even showing signs of panic when he was hurried in the pocket. Purdy would throw his first interception of 2023 and his 72 yards in the first half would be his fewest in a first half this season.

Even then, Purdy would be given a chance to silence the critics late in the fourth quarter as the Niners would find themselves trailing in the second half for the first time this season after a pair of third quarter field goals by Cleveland. It would be rare territory for San Francisco who entered Sunday's game having trailed at any point of a game for only 1-minute and 45-seconds this season. They would see that mark climb to 7-minutes and 1-second in Sunday's game alone. The 49ers would recapture the lead in the fourth quarter after the defense came up with a second interception thanks to cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, setting up backup running back Jordan Mason who scored one play later with an 8-yard rushing touchdown. Cleveland would answer with field goals on consecutive drives, the second of which would come with some help of the officials. After benefiting from an incomplete pass that should've been a PJ Walker fumble late in the second quarter, the Niners would be hosed again by more poor officiating. 

Facing a huge 3rd down and 10, Walker rifled an incomplete pass to his receiver Elijah Moore who was hit by 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson. Although Gipson made a clean hit by definition and did not make contact with the head or neck area of the receiver, he was penalized for, "unnecessary roughness," giving Cleveland a key first down and new life instead of what would've been a 4th and 10 pinned back at their own 26 yard line. The Browns would be held to a field goal, but the damage would be done as Cleveland retook a 19-17 lead with under two-minutes remaining. Purdy and the 49er offense would convert three first downs on their next drive and march 45-yards in a minute and a half, setting up Jake Moody for a potential game-winning field goal. With his family in attendance, Moody would have plenty of distance on the kick, but failed to split the uprights as he missed wide-right to secure Cleveland's upset victory and hand the 49ers their first loss of the season. It would mark San Francisco's first loss in their last 16 regular season games, snapping the longest winning streak in team history. With only 215 yards of total offense for the Niners, it would be their lowest amount under coach Shanahan who took the head coaching job in 2017, and has struggled in his nine career matchups against Browns defensive-coordinator Jim Schwartz' defense, who is now 8-1 lifetime when opposing Shanahan's offense. 

Week 7 Preview: Continuing their latest road trip, the (5-1) 49ers will pay a visit to Minnesota on Monday Night Football to face the (2-4) Vikings who are coming off a 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears. With Vikes quarterback Kirk Cousins the topic of trade talks, the QB once sought after by coach Shanahan, will be without his favorite target and arguably the best receiver in football as Justin Jefferson is on the Injured Reserve list with a hamstring injury. Cousins proved he can still lead a team to victory without his young receiver, but he'll be facing a more daunting task on Monday Night against an angry 49er defense that is looking to avenge their first loss of the season. With Deebo Samuel (shoulder) and Trent Williams (ankle) both listed as day to day, the extent of Christian McCaffrey's injury is still unknown, which might mean backups Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell carry the load for San Francisco's rushing attack in Week 7. I'd expect a bounce back performance from 49ers tight-end George Kittle who after his three touchdown performance against Dallas a week earlier, finished with only one reception for 1-yard on Sunday. 

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49ers Thrive in Monday Night Pummeling of Browns

Week 5 - Coming off an early BYE in Week 4, the (3-0) San Francisco 49ers entered their Week 5 Monday Night meeting with the (2-2) Cleveland Browns with plans of putting a statement on their hot start. Despite beginning the season 3-0 for the first time since 1998, many pundits around the league have questioned the legitimacy of San Francisco's early streak because of who they've gone up against. But if opening the year with back to back road wins or shaking off five turnovers in a game and still finding a way to win isn't enough, perhaps nothing is. Regardless, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team would prepare for the task at hand and welcome the challenge of facing a Browns team that entered the season with expectations of competing in the AFC and was coming off their best game yet after an impressive road win over the division rival Baltimore Ravens.

Behind quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Browns would look to remain perfect on the road and keep pace with the aforementioned Ravens for the top spot in the AFC North. Seeking their first 3-0 start on the road since 1999 and their first record over .500 since 2014, the Niners would have none of that as they were chasing a mark of their own in trying to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1990. Winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Cleveland offense showed a bit of trickery early on as receiver Odell Beckham Jr. took a handoff and passed the ball down the field to Jarvis Landry for a 20-yard gain. Appearing to catch the Niner defense off-guard, it would be one of the very few big plays for the Browns offense that then went cold and was forced to punt. With San Francisco fourth in the league in total offense and second in scoring offense, they would waste little time to flex their muscles on offense. From the first play on, the Niners would set the tone of the game as running back Matt Breida made a house call for 83-yards on his first carry, setting a career-long and making it to the end zone untouched. According to Next Gen Stats, Breida clocked in at a speed of 22.3 mph on his highlight run, the fastest speed of any player in the last two seasons and living up to his nickname of, "Breida the cheetah".

Coming up with a huge play on offense, the 49er defense would take their turn on the very first play of Cleveland's next drive as Mayfield was hurried into throwing an errant pass that was intercepted by Richard Sherman. Getting his first taste of Monday Night Football action, the game would serve as the coming out party for rookie Nick Bosa who was a constant force for a San Francisco defense that tallied four sacks on the night, but finished with a hell of a lot more QB pressures as the Browns signal caller was erratic and under duress early and often. Unable to capitalize on the stellar field position following the interception, the 49ers would make sure it wouldn't happen in consecutive possessions as a series of passes by Jimmy Garoppolo helped the offense march to the red zone before he found Matt Breida in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown reception. Giving the offense even more chances, the 49ers defensive-line would again cause Mayfield to scratch his head as the duo of DeForest Buckner and Nick Bosa teamed up to force and recover a fumble that again put the Niners in prime scoring position. Calling on the trusty Robbie Gould for his first field goal attempt on the night, it would be the start of his worst game in a Niner uniform as Gould couldn't connect on the field goal from 47-yards out.

With a field goal of their own on the ensuing possession, Cleveland would finally get on the board. Beginning to finally show life on offense, Mayfield and the Browns would hit a brick wall when making a trip into the red zone as a short pass at the goal line was tipped into the air by the intended receiver Antonio Callaway, allowing cornerback K'Waun Williams to come up with the easy interception and returning it to midfield. Cashing in on the interception, running back Tevin Coleman who in his first game back following an ankle injury suffered in Week 1, would score his first touchdown as a member of the Niners as he followed his blockers and struck pay dirt with a 19-yard run. After a Cleveland three and out, San Francisco would try to get another three points just before the half, but Robbie Gould would miss his second field goal in as many tries, this time from 52-yards out as the score remained 21-3 heading into the half.

As has been the case in all four games this season, averaging 175 rushing yards per game, it would be a busy yet productive day for the 49ers ground attack as they headed into the locker room at the half with 185 yards rushing, five yards more than the Browns would tally all game long in total offense (180). Picking up right where they left off to open the second half, Garoppolo and the Niner offense would put together their best drive yet as tight-end George Kittle hauled in a 22-yard touchdown reception to cap a nine-play, 90-yard drive that made it a 28-3 ballgame. As if the Browns' turnover-laden first half wasn't bad enough, San Francisco's defense held Cleveland to only one first down in the second half as Mayfield was eventually benched for backup Garrett Gilbert late in the fourth quarter. After having a field goal blocked from 32-yards out, Robbie Gould would miss three field goals in a game for the first time in his career. But thanks to a late miscue by the Browns special-teams, Gould would get one last chance to redeem himself.

With Odell Beckham Jr. having made a reputation of having some of his best performances on Monday Night Football (57 receptions, 916 yards, 8 TD in 9 career games), the Pro Bowl wide-out was virtually M.I.A. in this one and actually did his team more harm than good as he fumbled a punt return that setup a late 49er field goal. OBJ's best friend and former college teammate Jarvis Landry who was coming off his best game as a Brown with eight receptions for 167 yards a week ago, finished with a game-high 75-yards receiving on four receptions, but even he would be unable to find the end zone as Baker Mayfield was held touchdown-less for the first time in his career, ending a streak of 17 consecutive games with a touchdown pass to start a career, the second longest streak of its kind since 1950, behind only Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (23 starts). One stat Mayfield would rather forget is the amount of interceptions he's thrown since the start of last season as his 21 picks are the most in the league since that span. Adding insult to injury, the San Francisco defense held Mayfield to only 100 yards passing on 8 of 22 pass attempts, a pedestrian performance for a QB and offense that many thought was turning the corner following their rough start that preceded the win in Week 4.

The former Heisman Trophy winner and walk-on at the University of Oklahoma was chased down all night long by 49ers rookie Nick Bosa who greeted Mayfield rather rudely with a celebration that stemmed from the time both players spent in college as Mayfield famously staked the OU flag at midfield following a win on the road for the Sooners over Bosa's Ohio State Buckeyes. Bosa made sure to get back at Mayfield as he followed up his second of two sacks on the night with a similar gesture that mocked Mayfield's flag celebration. Earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance, Bosa finished the game with a forced fumble and fumble recovery to go along with his pair of quarterback sacks and five QB hits. As for the offense, the San Francisco rushing attack tallied 275 yards behind the tandem of Matt Breida (114 yards, 11 carries) and Tevin Coleman (97 yards, 16 carries). Because of their dominant ground game, the 49ers would wind up not needing a big game thru the air as Jimmy Garoppolo finished with 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 20 of 29 pass attempts. One of only two unbeaten teams in the NFL alongside the (5-0) New England Patriots, the 49ers are the NFC's last unbeaten team for the first time since 1984 when they went 6-0 to start the year.

Week 6 Preview - Looking ahead to Week 6, the 49ers will travel to Southern California to face their first division opponent of the season in the (3-2) Los Angeles Rams. Coming off a 30-29 loss on the road to the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams hope to right the ship and put an end to their 2-game skid. But with an upset loss in the their last home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Rams are very beatable, but will definitely be on their A-game on Sunday as they try to avoid their first three-game losing streak under head coach Sean McVay. If not for a missed 44-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter by Greg Zuerlein, it would be the Rams who would be breathing on the necks of the 49ers in the NFC Western Division standings at 4-1 instead of Seattle. The 49ers defense will look to contain Jared Goff the same way they did Baker Mayfield, as the former no. 1 overall pick out of Cal is coming off a game in which he threw 395 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Looking to put their dominant run game to the test against a defense that boasts last year's Defensive Player of the Year in Aaron Donald, the 49ers will have to try their luck without right-tackle Mike McGlinchey who will undergo knee surgery and will miss 4-6 weeks as well as Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk who was carted off the field on Monday night and was diagnosed with an MCL sprain that will also keep him sidelined for 4-6 weeks. A threat in the passing game, Juszczyk has been a key cog in the Niners rushing success for his stout blocking ability and the same could be said for McGlinchey, the second-year man out of Notre Dame. Averaging a league-best 200 rushing yards per game, we'll see how the team can adjust without two of their best.


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49ers Shake off 5 Turnovers to Stun Steelers

Week 3 - Coming off back to back road wins to open a season for the first time since 1989, the (2-0) San Francisco 49ers would look to do one better by improving to 3-0 for the first time since 1998. And though they would eventually get the job done and add another tally in the win column, it wouldn't come easy nor would it be pretty as the 49er offense would have its fair share of miscues and would have to be bailed out by the defense. On a day the Niners held a halftime presentation to honor Terrell Owens aka T.O. into their Hall of Fame, the 49ers offense committed a number of t.o.'s of their own as they were beaten badly in the turnover department on Sunday. Kicking off their home-opener and hosting the visiting (0-2) Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco would need to pull out all the stops in order to reign victorious in a game that would see them commit a total of five turnovers, including four in the first half alone after only two in the first two weeks combined.

Things would get off to a rocky start early on for the home team as San Francisco watched their first drive of the game go up in flames just three plays in as running back Matt Breida bobbled a pass from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo that wound up in the hands of Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt. They would nearly suffer another turnover during their second possession on a fumbled pitch to Raheem Mostert as the backup running back prematurely turned his head before having full possession of the ball, as the 8-play drive ended with a punt. But the Niners wouldn't be so lucky on their following drive which ended with another interception as the newly acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick made his presence felt in his Steelers debut, intercepting a tipped pass that was hurried when Garoppolo felt the pressure of a near sack. Just when things began to look up for the Niner offense, the team was doomed by consecutive fumbles inside the red zone as Mostert coughed up the ball at the Pittsburgh 15-yard line after being tackled, and Garoppolo fumbled at the Pittsburgh 7-yard line following a bad snap. Despite the four turnovers suffered in the first half, the 49ers were very fortunate to find themselves trailing by only three-points as the Steelers took a 6-3 lead into the half.

After being held scoreless in a quarter for the first time this season, the Niner offense would begin to finally show life in the third quarter. Making his first career start in place of the injured Ben Roethlisberger who was lost for the year with a shoulder injury in Week 2, quarterback Mason Rudolph failed to show the same poise he exhibited in the near comeback against Seattle just a week prior. And on Pittsburgh's opening possession to start the second half, the Niner defense finally got the best of him as he was intercepted on an errant pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster. Coming up with the interception was K'Waun Williams who helped the 49ers generate their first trip to the end zone thanks to the first of two rushing touchdowns by the third-string running back Jeff Wilson Jr., giving San Francisco a 10-6 lead, their first of the day. Following San Francisco's first three-and-out of the season midway thru the third quarter, Rudolph and JuJu would redeem themselves when the two connected on a 76-yard touchdown to put Pittsburgh back on top. 49ers rookie receiver Deebo Samuel who caught his first career touchdown a week ago, would also get to redeem himself after dropping a pass that would've put his team in prime field position one drive earlier. After hauling in a 20-yard reception that put San Francisco in enemy territory, Jimmy G. and company marched their way into the red zone before handing the ball off to Wilson Jr. who did the rest.

While it was the stout defense that kept them in the game for most of the afternoon, the Niner secondary was dealt a blow at the start of the fourth quarter. Checking into the game and seeing his first live NFL action since September 2017 was former Pro Bowl cornerback Jason Verrett. Making his 49er debut after Ahkello Witherspoon suffered a leg injury that required him to be carted off the field, the rust was very apparent for Verrett who was called for an obvious pass interference penalty on the second play he saw, before getting beat for a 39-yard touchdown pass to Steelers rookie Diontae Johson one play later. Looking to answer with a touchdown of their own and trailing 20-17 with under seven minutes remaining in regulation, the 49ers committed their fifth and final turnover. Facing third and goal with Garoppolo in shotgun formation, the ball was snapped at the worst time possible as the ball ricocheted off receiver Richie James Jr. who was in motion, resulting in an easy recovery by Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt. However, the Niners would catch a break and would force a fumble of their own just three plays later when running back James Conner coughed up the ball that gave San Francisco new life as the duo of former Oregon Ducks Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner teamed up to force and recover the loose ball.

Working their way up with short passes and runs before knocking on the door of the end zone, Garoppolo would find Dante Pettis who finished with a quiet 20 yards receiving on four receptions, but none greater than the one that put his team ahead, 24-20 with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter. With a pair of Steelers defenders draped all over him, Pettis was able to haul in the five yard touchdown catch, celebrating with an emphatic spike of the ball as Garoppolo threaded the needle. With one last chance, Mason and the Steelers would have to make a last-ditch effort to reach the win column for the first time this season, but those dreams would come crashing down as Pittsburgh failed to move the chains and turned the ball over on downs with an incompletion on fourth down. Prior to the 49ers shaking off the five turnovers and sealing the 24-20 victory, teams that had started a game with an 0-4 turnover ratio had owned a record of 0-28-1 since the start of 2016. The win for San Francisco would also be their first in a game in which they committed 5+ turnovers since November 8, 1998 vs Carolina.

Completing 22 of 32 pass attempts, Jimmy Garoppolo finished with 277 yards and a touchdown to go along with his pair of interceptions, however, I'd argue that the first of which was more on the receiver than it was the QB. Nonetheless, Jimmy G stepped up when he needed to and made a number of big plays when it appeared that the offense had all but lied down following the countless amount of turnovers. George Kittle hauled in a game-high six catches to lead the team with 57 receiving yards and fullback Kyle Juszczyk who had his most productive game of the young season wasn't far behind with 51 yards receiving on three receptions. Raheem Mostert and Matt Breida each ran of 79 and 68 yards respectively, but it was the goal-line guru Jeff Wilson Jr. who capitalized at the goal-line as he became the first player in team history with 2+ rushing touchdowns in his first two games played since 1956 (Hugh McElhenny).

Week 4 Bye & Week 5 Preview - Heading into the Bye Week undefeated at 3-0, the 49ers will take advantage of the early season rest before preparing for a Monday Night showdown against their next opponent in Baker Mayfield and the (1-2) Cleveland Browns. Facing an elite group of receivers in Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, the 49ers will be without one of their starting corners in Ahkello Witherspoon who was diagnosed with a right foot sprain that will keep him sidelined for at least a month. And hopefully with the extra preparation, Jason Verrett can get his feet under him and shake off the cobwebs before making his first start in over two years. Having held their opponent to under 100 yards rushing for the second straight week, the 49ers will look to make it three straight weeks when they go up against Nick Chubb who fell just 4-yards shy of the century mark in Week 3 against the Rams. The 49ers will also like their chances with their own rushing attack as San Francisco ranks 2nd in the league in rushing as well as 4th in yards allowed thru the first three weeks of the NFL season. Finally, two Niners that should be rejoining the team for the Week 5 meeting vs Cleveland are running back Tevin Coleman (ankle) who's been out since Week 1 and rookie receiver Jalen Hurd (back) who is expected to make his season-debut.


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49ers Fail to cash-in vs Money Manziel, Browns

Week 14 - Entering Sunday's meeting in Cleveland between the (4-8) San Francisco 49ers and (2-10) Browns, the Niners found themselves in unfamiliar territory -- facing a team with a worse record than their own. Dealing with quarterback issues of their own, the Browns have had their guy all season long in second-year pro Johnny Manziel, but the team's unwillingness to commit to the former Heisman Trophy winner coupled with his poor decision making off the field, has left him on the sidelines more often than on the field. But with Manziel getting the call in this one after serving the last two games on the bench following his restriction set by coach Mike Pettine, the Browns' mobile QB was able to help snap Cleveland's 7-game losing streak. 

After their overtime victory over the Bears last week, the Niners came into this one looking rather surprised and played like a team that underestimated their opponent. Early on, however, the San Francisco defense would make their presence felt by blocking a 42-yard field goal attempt by kicker Travis Coons to keep the game scoreless. But the Niners' inability to get anything going on offense, aided the Browns who scored on their next possession. With only two rushing touchdowns all year for the Browns entering the game, the 49ers would see a steady diet of second-year running back Isiah Crowell who broke off a 50-yard run before doubling Cleveland's rushing touchdown total with his first of two TD's on the afternoon. San Francisco went into the half trailing 10-3, but could've easily been down by 17+ had it not been for a number of miscues by the Browns offense. Third-string running back Glenn Winston showed exactly why he's the Browns' third option at running back as he fumbled his only rush attempt on the afternoon. Manziel would endure a brain-cramp of his own after being flushed from the pocket and throwing an errant pass across his body to midfield which 49ers rookie safety Jaquiski Tartt snagged in midair for his first career interception. 

The Niners would open the second half just as sluggish as the first as the Cleveland defense which entered the game with only 8 sacks on the year, feasted on QB Blaine Gabbert who was sacked nine times in this game alone as the Browns took advantage of a weak 49er o-line and doubled their season sack total. Seeking their first December win since 2012, Manziel helped inch the Browns closer to a W after connecting with his tight-end Gary Barnidge for a 2-yard touchdown. The Browns weren't done there as Crowell added to an already stellar day with his second rush of 50-yards or more with a 54-yard dash en route to a season-high 145-yard performance, including a career-high 95-yards before contact. He would capitalize on the big gain five plays later with his second touchdown. With the game already out of reach, Gabbert and the 49er offense would finally put together a nice drive, marching 94-yards and scoring on a 6-yard touchdown pass in garbage time to receiver Jerome Simpson, his first of the season. Rather poor for a 49ers offense versus a Cleveland defense that has surrendered the third most passing touchdowns this season (25), behind only the Eagles and Saints. 

The only other scoring on the afternoon for the 49ers would come from kicker Phil Dawson whom the Browns payed a tribute to on the stadium scoreboard with a video, highlighting the 14 seasons he played in Cleveland. Manziel out-threw Gabbert in passing yards, 270 to 194 in the 24-10 win as the Browns recorded just their third victory of the season. 

Week 15 Preview - Falling to 4-9 on the year, the 49ers return home where they'll get set to host the 10-3 Cincinnati Bengals. Having been one of the best teams all season, the Bengals are now limping their way to the finish of the regular season with the recent injury to quarterback Andy Dalton who suffered a fractured thumb during the first quarter of Sunday's 33-20 loss to the rival Steelers. The Bengals are still a very dangerous team without Dalton with play-makers on both sides of the ball, but has to have Cincy fans trembling at the thought of making the playoffs without Dalton under center. Although backup QB AJ McCarron is up for the challenge, comparing his situation of stepping in for an injured star quarterback to the one that catapulted Patriots QB Tom Brady into the spotlight. McCarron, a first-year rookie drafted in the fifth round out of Alabama who won 3 National Championships in college with the Crimson Tide and will be making his first career start on Sunday, will look to keep pace in the race for the AFC's number one seed. Meanwhile, the 49ers who saw their own playoff hopes vanish, will try playing spoiler.

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Week 8: 49ers, Gore chew up Browns, 20-10.

Rundown: Heading into Week 8 many predicted the effects from a BYE week the week before would show early on and slow down what came in a red-hot 49ers team. But once the game started that couldn't have been any further from the truth as they carried that momentum on into Sunday's game during the early going against a 3-3 Cleveland Browns squad. With San Francisco winning the coin-toss and differing, the 49ers defense did what it's done all season long -- forcing turnovers. On only the second play of the game the stingy 49er D would force and recover a fumble thanks to Ahmad Brooks. With a chance to capitalize on the turnover Alex Smith would waste no time to take advantage of the opportunity handing the ball off to running back Frank Gore who punched it into the end zone from 4 yards out.

With their Pro-Bowl caliber running back Peyton Hillis hampered with an injury the Browns running game was in for a world of hurt facing the number one run defense in the league. With limited damage being done on the ground Cleveland was forced to try their luck through the air with QB Colt McCoy. He too would struggle, however, throwing an interception fumbling the ball a total of four times on the day including three fumbles in the first half alone. Once again turning turnovers into points, Alex Smith found an untouched Michael Crabtree in the end zone following a David Akers field goal to give San Francisco a 17-0 lead. Having been shut down on offense for the most part, Cleveland would eventually get on the board before the end of the first half as kicker Phil Dawson split the uprights from 52-yards out to make it a 14-point game at the half.

The second half would be a microcosm of the first half on offense for the 49ers as neither team scored. With a decently productive first half it was almost as if Alex Smith and company had left their offense in the locker room. The Browns on the other hand would finally make some noise as McCoy found a hole for wide-out Joshua Cribbs who made it 17-10 with a 45-yard touchdown reception. The rest of the game would be all about Frank Gore. After compiling over a 100 yards in the first half alone, Gore would collect a few more yards to help him move along the latter of Niners all-time leading rushers as he surpassed Roger Craig for no. 2 on the list before finishing the game with a total of 134 rushing yards to go along with his touchdown. The impressive performance was also his fourth straight game with at least 125 yards and a touchdown.

Though he didn't have the biggest game through the air, Alex Smith did what he needed to and distributed the ball well amongst his team including a pass to not one, but two of his linemen as both Joe Staley and Isaac Sapoaga hauled in catches of 15+ yards. Kicker David Akers would make it a two possession game with a late field-goal to put the game away for good as the 49ers went on to route the Browns by a final score of 20-10. The win helped San Francisco improve to their best start since 1998 at 6-1 and increasing their lead in the division.

Week 9 Preview: In Week 9 the 49ers make a trip to the nations capital to face the 3-4 Washington Redskins.

Prediction: The 49ers roll on the road 24-10

Browns' Hillis lands Madden cover

With a number of surprises in the NFL last season, none were greater those of Peyton Hillis and Michael Vick. While Vick revitalized his career in Philly after taking over the starting QB job for the injured Kevin Kolb, 2010 saw the breakout of Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis. After a trade in the offseason that sent Hillis from Denver to Cleveland in exchange for Browns QB Brady Quinn, the league became well acquainted with the 240 lb. back who went on to rush for over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning him Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 9. Due to his consistent production week after week, the former Arkansas Razorback became a fan favorite among fantasy owners as he went on to become the first white running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season since New England's Craig James in 1985.

In spite of his impressive numbers, Hillis was unable to single-handedly carry the team as the Browns lost the last 4 games of the season before finishing with an overall record of 5-11. However, his remarkable season resulted in a spot on EA Sports' bracket-styled 32-player tournament to potentially become the cover athlete of Madden 12. Voted on by the fans, Hillis ousted such players as Ray Rice, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers before facing Vick in the finals. Though Vick's career season and positive attitude helped change a lot of peoples minds since his legal troubles, it didn't quite win everyone over as he went on to lose by nearly fifty percent of the votes (66% to 34%), which I would agree with considering Vick had already graced the cover of Madden back in '04 while a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

At midnight on April 27th, the cover was revealed on ESPN's SportsNation with both Vick and Hillis in the studio. As one of the most unlikeliest of players to land the cover of the most celebrated sports video game in history just a year ago, Hillis' rise in fame has been nothing short of a Cinderella story and couldn't have been awarded to a better player and or franchise. Though it may not seem like a big deal to some, for a team like the Browns that have been starving of recognition having reached the playoffs only twice in the last 20 years, this is easily the best thing to happen to the organization in recent memory. Not to mention the Dawg Pound finally has something worth cheering about. But while it gives the franchise a bit of much needed notoriety and hope, it also adds to the pressure and expectations of the 25 year old running back to prove he's not just a one-hit wonder.

Though it would be a bit premature to write him off as one of the game's elites, Hillis' strength and speed are just a few of the many intangibles that translate to what looks to be a Pro-Bowl caliber career. With the likes of QB Colt McCoy and WR Joshua Cribbs, the Browns have a core of young players on offense to compliment Hillis and have the potential to blossom into what they're hoping will be a reversal in fortunes given their recent struggles. Honestly, I remain uncertain on if and when the Browns will ever be a title contender so I'll pass on jumping on the bandwagon just yet, but I'm guessing we've only seen a glimpse of what's to come from Hillis. The Philadelphia Eagles on the other hand are probably a bit glad Vick won't be starring on the cover considering he won't be in line for any Madden curse this year. You can expect Madden 12 to hit shelves on August 30.

Happy Trails x Derek Anderson

Express Yourself - Have you ever said something to someone and then tried to take it back like you didn't mean it? That's something former Cleveland Browns QB Derek Anderson can relate to. Upon being informed of his release by the team on March 9th, Anderson made sure he didn't go quietly. "The fans are ruthless and don't deserve a winner. I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured. I know at times I wasn't great. I hope and pray I'm playing when my team comes to town and (we) roll them." The frantic Anderson said, referring to an knee injury he sustained during the 2008 season in a game against the Colts. But just one day later, the Oregon State Beavers all-time leader in career touchdowns and passing yards, tried taking a different approach.

After putting his team of 5-years on blast, Anderson seemed a bit apologetic towards the fans he called "ruthless", hoping to take back all he said. "Those of you who got to know me personally from covering the Browns over the past five years, know this was out of character for me. I wasn't taken out of context, but I was speaking out of frustration after my career with the Browns came to a close. I had some great times playing in Cleveland, especially during the 2007 season, and I met some great people and made many lifelong friends along the way. I'm looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life." Anderson's first full year in 2007 seen him throw for 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, helping pave the way to a Pro-Bowl, capped off by a 10-6 record for the Browns. But since his Pro-Bowl season in '07, Anderson has seen little success. Inconsistency would then become a factor for the Browns QB as injuries came into play.

After 7 starts in 2009, Anderson would own a 42.1 passer rating to go along with a dismal 3 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. All of which resulting in his departure. The 26-year old is expected to gain interest from several teams and rumor has it he will be paying a visit to both Arizona and Seattle later this week. As for the Browns, the team has acquired both Jake Delhomme who was recently released by Carolina, and former Seattle back-up QB Seneca Wallace who was picked up in a trade. However, the QB possession isn't full just yet, as the Browns are hoping to get their hands on either Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen or Oklahoma's 2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford who is projected to be the number one QB taken in this year's NFL Draft. But with the 7th overall pick, the chances of landing Bradford are slim.


Breaking News: The Cleveland Browns have parted ways with Brady Quinn as well, sending him to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Full-Back Peyton Hills, a 6th round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and a conditional late-round pick in the 2012 Draft.